Retaining and locking device



Dec. 17, 1968 G. H. GEISINGER 3,

RETAINING AND LOCKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

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w INVENTOR G. H. GE/S/NGER Dec. 17, 1968 5. H. GEISINGER 3,

RETAINING AND LOCKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1INVENTOR G. H. GE/S/NGER BY M fiEORNEY United States Patent 3,416,198RETAINING AND LOCKING DEVICE George H. Geisinger, Elizabeth, N.J.,assignor to The Thomas & Betts Co. Inc., Elizabeth, N.J., a corporationof New Jersey Filed Feb. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 613,886 9 Claims. (Cl.24-150) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A retaining and locking device havingan elongated strap body portion to be passed through an assembly ofitems, a base portion formed at one end thereof to abut the assembly andprevent excess insertion, and a locking head movable on the projectingend of the strap body portion, and against the assembly, with means forlocking the head on the strap body portion against the assembly, thussaving time and cost in retaining the assembly and eliminating the needfor use of 360 wrapping devices such as have been conventionally used.

This invention relates to a retaining and locking device of novelconstruction, and operation, which is versatile in use and adapted toenclose and hold items without the necessity of 360 wrapping, as inconventional practice, and without risk of damage to the retainedassembly, and which is automatically adjustable to the width of theassembly.

The device of this invention may be made at low cost and readily appliedto the articles to be assembled without damaging or marring theirsurfaces, to efficiently and rapidly secure them in retained and lockedposition.

It may be used for retaining and locking an infinite variety of articlesof various kinds, contours and proportions. A typical example thereof(without limitation thereto) is for retaining an assembly of hubbeddisks such as are used in testing jet engines. Pursuant to priorpractices, weighted blades were secured to the disks by use of rivetsand other metal devices. Problems encountered in con nection with suchprior devices are the high cost thereof; in insertion and removal of thepieces often the surface of the disk is scratched; the marks must berubbed out by hand. It is necesary to maintain inventories, differentmetal devices being required for various disks.

The device of the invention eliminates the deficiencies of priordevices, serving efiiciently over a wide range of items to be assembled;it may be readily applied to and removed from the articles to beassembled without any risk of damage to their surfaces.

The device incorporates a self locking head and an elongated strap bodyportion in connection therewith. In one form of the invention said headmay be formed unitarily with said body portion and detachably connectedthereto by a neck portion and separated therefrom by twisting or otherprocedure, which may be readily and simply performed.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying outthe invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of theinvention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices andprocedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate likeparts:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a retaining and locking device embodying myinvention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken at line 33 ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a top plan, partly broken view of a form thereof, shown inFIG. 6,

3,416,198 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side,elevational, partly fragmentary view thereof,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an assembly of items, showing a retaininglocking device of my invention applied thereto,

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view thereof,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of an assembly of itemshaving a device of the invention applied thereto, and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational, partly sectional view of itemsheld together by a device of the invention.

The retaining and locking device 10 (FIG. 1) of the invention may bemade of relatively inexpensive plastic or other material, molded orotherwise formed to define an elongated strap body portion 11 havingopposite spaced ends 12, 14, said body portion being adapted to bepassed through (FIGS. 8 and 10) an assembly 17 of items and to extend atone end (15) therebeyond. The end 12 of the body portion has 'a base 16formed thereon preferably disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axisof body portion The device is inserted through the assembly of items Yto be retained and locked, being inserted, for example, throughapertures or openings or interstices in said items,

the base 16 serving as a stop preventing excess insertion.

A head member 20, which may (FIG. 3) be generally tapered or circular asat 21 (FIGS. 4 to 6) is provided for reception of the body member end 22therethrough and for sliding and locking movement on the body portion Aand against the assembly of articles, to retain and lock them. Said headmember may be formed unitarily with the body portion as, for example,being separably connected thereto by a neck 22 or other means enablingready separation, as by snapping or twisting the head member. a

The head member may be separately formed as above noted or may beconnected with or formed unitarily with the body portion 11 and readilystripped or torn therefrom. The head 21 is then slid along the extendingend 15 (FIG. 8) of the strap and into abutment with the assembly ofarticles. Means are provided in the head member, pursuant to thisinvention, for complementary axial sliding movement on the strap inyieldable automatic intercugagement of the head and body portion and theretained article assembly.

To this end, an opening or slot 23 (FIG. 3) is provided through the headmember 20 for reception therethrough of strap body portion 11; a latchmember 24, such as a barb or flexible plate, is secured to the headmember and projects preferably angularly into the slot 23 (FIG. 6) sothat, as the head member is moved along the strap in one direction(toward the article assembly) the plate 24 yields until the head memberis moved to final position against the assembly (FIGS. 8 and 10). Plate24 resists accidental disengagement of the parts. Plate 24 may be ametal or other barb, insert or otherwise molded with or secured to thehead member. A second slot 25 may be provided (FIG. 1) intersecting theslot 23 (through which the strap passes) at an angle, to permit thestrap to be twisted and locked in the plane of slot 25,

if desired. I claim:

1. An initially integral device for retaining and locking said devicecomprising an elongated strap body portion having opposite, spaced ends,and proportioned to be positioned in the assembly and to extend, at oneend, therebeyond,

stop means on the opposite end of the body portion to abut the assemblyto prevent excess insertion of the device therein,

a head member connected to the strap body portion by suitable means soas to be readily severable therefrom for use therewith,

means on said head member for complementary sliding reception of thestrap in the head member,

and means on said head member engaging said so extending end of thestrap body portion [yieldably] on movement of the head member thereon,said suitable connecting means, forming when severed, a tapered free endon said so extending end to facilitate use thereof.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means on said head memberso engaging said so extending end of the strap body portion yieldablyand in locking relation on movement of the head member thereon.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means to abut the assemblyto prevent excess insertion of the device in the assembly comprising anangularly formed base on the opposite end of said body portion.

4. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means to so abut theassembly to prevent excess insertion of the device in the assembly,comprising a base formed on the opposite end of said body portion andextending beyond the cross sectional configuration of the body portion.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means on said head memberfor said complementary reception of the strap comprising an openingprovided in said head member and means in said head member so engagingsaid so extending end of the strap body portion comprising frictionmeans in said head member engaging said body portion.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means in said head memberso engaging said so extending end of 40 the strap comprising a slotprovided in said head member to receive said strap therethrough, and

means in said head member extending into said slot,

frictionally engaging said strap.

7. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means in said head memberso engaging said strap comprising a slot provided in the head member toreceive said extending end of the strap therethrough, and

means in said head member angularly extending into said slot,frictionally engaging said strap.

8. In a device as set forth in claim 1,

said means in said head member so engaging said strap comprising meansin said head member to receive said extending end of the straptherethrough, in one plane, and for locking the strap therein, inanother plane.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 1,

said means in said head member so engaging said so extending end of thestrap comprising multi-planar openings in said head member to enable thestrap to be received in the head member and twisted and locked therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 988,090 3/1911 Hamilton 24-1532,514,939 7/1950 Crary 24-153 1,830,950 11/1931 Lake 292-322 2,025,96012/1935 Sindler 24-208.3 3,009,220 11/1961 Fein 2430.5 3,186,047 6/1965Schwester et a1 24-16 3,022,557 2/1962 Logan 248-74 FOREIGN PATENTS530,904 8/ 1954 Netherlands.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner.

11.5. C1. X.R.

